NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR MARINE POLLUTION FROM SHIPPING AND OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS

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APPENDIX G

SALVAGE: DETAILS OF OPERATIONS
Introduction
G.1    Following almost all serious incidents, and all prevention tactics having failed, the shipowner engages commercial salvors to deal with the casualty and secure the cargo, and bunkers and any other pollutants.  At an early stage, the RCC instructs the salvor or as appropriate, the master or owner of the vessel, or a harbour master requiring them to give detailed information on their intentions.  The SOSREP needs to assess whether the salvor has the capability in terms of experience, personnel and equipment to carry out the salvage operation.  If the SOSREP is satisfied that the appointed salvor is capable, the salvor is regarded as being in command of the salvage operations.  If the SOSREP is not satisfied that the salvor is capable then the SOSREP persuades, or directs, the owner or master of the casualty to engage alternative or additional salvors.  The initial salvage options may include firefighting, counter-flooding, internal transfers, other actions to stabilise the ship, and perhaps emergency towing to bring the casualty to calmer waters or a place of refuge.

G.2    Subsequent salvage actions may involve cargo and bunker transfer operations, diving operations, beaching the casualty or grounding it in shallow water and patching or filling holes.  If a ship has grounded salvors may attempt to refloat it, using tugs and perhaps by pressurising flooded tanks or compartments with air to increase buoyancy.  In exceptional cases when the salvage of the ship is not practicable, an appropriate course of action – which minimises the risk of harm to persons or property and the risk of pollution – is taken.

Emergency towing arrangements
G.3    Where there is a serious risk of harm to persons or property, or a significant risk of pollution, it may be necessary to initiate emergency towing arrangements. Such arrangements should be unambiguous, agreed by all parties where possible, and activated as swiftly as practicable.  Standard operational procedures should apply irrespective of whether an Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) is under charter to MCA, tasked from appropriate local harbour resources, is a salvage tug of opportunity or is a vessel chartered under the CAST Agreement (see G.6 below).

Emergency towing requirement – considerations
G.4    It is difficult to establish strict or prescriptive criteria for when to use an ETV. Individual circumstances must dictate the appropriate response.

Present emergency towing arrangements
G.5    Each RCC holds comprehensive databases of harbour tugs available locally and contact details.  Equally, procedures are in place with Brokers and Lloyd’s Ship Informer Service to quickly obtain information on towing vessels that may be able to respond.  Coastguard Instructions⁴⁰ contain operational instructions for RCCs to activate a response from such vessels.

CAST agreement (Coastguard Agreement on Salvage and Towage)
G.6    MCA has a framework agreement with the British Tugowners Association (BTA) for emergency chartering arrangements for harbour tugs.  The agreement covers activation, contractual arrangements, liabilities and operational procedures, should MCA request assistance from any local harbour tug as part of the response to an incident.  Modern harbour tugs are often capable of providing an effective emergency service in all but the worst weather conditions, and to the largest vessels.  The UK towage industry has invested heavily over recent years in powerful omni-directional tugs typically of over 50 tonnes bollard pull and with fire-fighting capability.  Where weather conditions or size of casualty restrict their use, such tugs can also perform a useful role in providing “first aid” prior to the arrival of an ETV or other more suitable vessel.

ETVs under contract to MCA
G.7    MCA charters four ETVs to provide emergency towing cover all year round in the four areas adjudged to pose the highest risk of a marine accident: the Dover Strait (under an Anglo French agreement), the Minches, the Western Approaches and the Fair Isle Channel.  All four charters require the immediate availability of adequate salvage resources and back-up should an incident deteriorate.  MCA delegates the operational tasking of ETVs to RCC areas.

Financial policy for ETVs
G.8    MCA funds the contract ETVs. However, as part of the charter agreement, and at the discretion of MCA, any ETV may undertake such commercial towage as a shipowner and the ETV operator may agree.  Any such ‘hire’ agreement benefits both the ETV operator and MCA.  Any award or contractual charges made (agreed on a percentage basis in the charterparty) offset the capital expenditure of the charterparty.  Equally, any local harbour tug tasked initially by an RCC is de facto under contract.  MCA must therefore fund it.  Where necessary and appropriate, MCA will seek to recoup its costs.

G.9    The CAST agreement provides for any subsequent commercial agreement made between a shipowner and a tug operator to offset any potential cost to MCA for the initial charter of the tug.

Places of Refuge
G.10    Except in the most severe incident, a ship is likely to retain some of its cargo, bunkers and other pollutants.  It may be desirable to carry out a cargo and bunker transfer operation from the stricken ship to prevent or minimise further spills.  It may help to move the ship to a more sheltered area, such as a port or oil terminal.

G.11    A place of refuge means a place where a ship in need of assistance can take action to enable it to stabilise its condition and reduce the hazards to navigation, and to protect human life and the environment.  IMO Resolution A.949(23) Guidelines on Places of Refuge for Ships in Need of Assistance provides further information and guidance.

G.12    There are some 800 ports and harbours in the UK Pollution Control Zone.  All of these may be suitable to provide a place of refuge.  This is in addition to bays and anchorages.  It is unwise pre-emptively to rule anywhere in, or out, as a potential place of refuge.  The choice of a location as a place of refuge is driven by the circumstances of the incident, including such event-specific data as the weather, the geographical whereabouts of the incident and the type of threat posed by the vessel and its cargo.

G.13    The UK has compiled a partial inventory of possible places of refuge using different criteria for both anchorages and ports/harbours.  The inventory is not, and does not set out to be, exhaustive, but provides a clear reference point for Counter Pollution and Salvage Officers tasked with providing a place of refuge for a ship in danger.  The inventory is used in conjunction with parameters determined on the day. A case by case assessment is made as to the suitability of the location for a place of refuge to accommodate a ship in need of assistance.

G.14    It is safer to carry out cargo and bunker transfer operations in sheltered areas. However, the decision to use an area moves the risk of pollution to an area that the incident might otherwise not have affected.  The SOSREP considers carefully whether to use a sheltered area as a place of refuge and, if so, which to select.  The SOSREP has in mind that time may be short and the damaged ship may not be in a condition to travel very far.

Firefighting at sea
G.15    From 1 April 2006⁴¹, most of the identified 15 local authority fire and rescue services in the United Kingdom provide a Maritime Incident Response Group (MIRG).  These teams are trained and equipped to assist vessels in UK waters, boarding them via boats or helicopters.  They provide a rapid, emergency response to fires and other incidents, including those involving hazardous and noxious substances.  The MIRG is co-ordinated by a RCC.

G.16    In addition, firefighting may be available afloat, whether from ETVs or from firefighting harbour tugs whose details are included in databases maintained by the RCCs.

Emergency cargo and bunker transfer operations (STS operations)
G.17    MCA has a substantial holding of emergency transfer equipment for use in off-loading oil or hazardous substances from a damaged or disabled ship.  This ensures that there is suitable equipment available in the UK for emergency cargo and bunker transfer operations.  These resources are used in conjunction with commercial STS cargo transfer operators.  In the future there will be controlling legislation for routine STS transfer operations in UK waters.

G.18    The equipment includes pumps, power packs, hoses, fenders, communications equipment, protective clothing, breathing apparatus, and inert gas generators.

G.19    Contractors maintain the equipment in a state of readiness.  They stow first reaction packages for transfer operations and dispatch them by road within two hours of call out.

G.20    Only MCA Counter Pollution and Response Branch staff have the authority to call out the equipment.  Before making any call out, they check that the salvors cannot readily obtain suitable and sufficient equipment from commercial sources.

G.21    MCA may need to lift equipment by air to the deck of a damaged ship, using either commercial companies or an MOD search and rescue helicopter on repayment terms (operational commitments permitting).  When MCA uses military assets, it consults the Ministry of Defence (MOD), through the Chief of Defence Staff Duty Officer, about the most suitable airfield from which to lift equipment by air.  MCA provides details of the equipment to lift: weights and dimensions of the equipment, especially of the heaviest item; the position of the casualty; and the estimated time of arrival of the equipment by road.

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